Ministering to Israel in Prayer

Christian brethren, do remember to pray for the Israel and Jerusalem (Isa 6:27) till the city of great King becomes the praise of all the earth (Isa 6:27, Matt 5:35). Paul strongly remind us not to ‘write-off’ the Jewish people for the Lord says of Israel ‘All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people’ (Rom 10:21).Do we as the body of Christ share the same heart beat of God for He ever remembers the unbreakable covenant made with Abraham (Gen 17). We pray and we ask amiss (Jam 4:3) if our prayers are spent for our self, our ministry, our fame, our plans thinking that we fit YHWH's plan into our ours, while the converse is the correct protocol.

Alas! for that day is great, so that none is like it: it is even the time of Jacob's trouble; but he shall be saved out of it. (Jer 30:7)

The Lord will bring Israel one final time ‘to pass under the rod’ (Exe 20:37) to bring them into the bond of the new covenant (Jer 31:31) and bring them into the their own land cleansed of all uncleanness and idolatry, filled with His Spirit to walk in His statutes and judgments. The Lord will work righteousness into Israel that there will forever be peace, quietness and assurance (Isa 32:17) which the nation is not today, surrounded by enemies and living with daily threats to annihilate them.

After 'speaking of the things pertaining to the kingdom of God' (Acts 1:3) the disciples understood of the restoration again of the Kingdom to Israel (Acts 1:6). Is there anything in the church today that has the latent power within us that can 'provoke them to jealousy' (Rom 11:11). In the forth coming days of Jacob’s trouble when the LORD will bring the Jewish people into the wilderness of the nations, can we, at that opportune time attained to the maturity in spiritual stature to represent YHWH to plead with them face to face (Eze 20:35).

We should not be sentimental about Israel but love the nation as the way that Yeshua (YHWH is salvation) would love them and neither should we take sides (Josh 5:14) for the current nation is not the Jewish nation of God’s intent. ‘For Zion's sake will I not hold my peace, and for Jerusalem's sake I will not rest’ (Isa 62:1). Likewise, as we pray for Israel, we pray for the church and ourselves because we need to be a people and individuals of God’s intent. What then should be our prayers for Israel? 

1.    ‘Righteousness thereof go forth as brightness’ (Isa 62:1). Israel need be restored back to the place of God’s imputed righteousness for the best of our deeds are like menstrual cloths (Isa 64:6). The celebratory spirit of human achievement cannot account for anything before the judgment seat of God.

2.    ‘…and the salvation thereof as a lamp that burneth’ (Isa 62:1), for in His light we see light (Psa 36:9). There need to be the breaking of the curse of having eyes that cannot see (Isa 6:10, Matt 13:15, Acts 28:27) for light is very important for seeing and it is in darkness that we can stumble. The gentile church must soberly remember that the blindness of Israel is temporal ‘until the fullness of the gentiles have come in’ (Rom 11:25) than ‘all Israel shall be saved’ (Rom 6:26).

3.    ‘…and thy land shall be married’ (Isa 62:4). Pray that Israel will be ‘the branch of my planting’ (Isa 60:21), the work of God’s hands, that He may be glorified. This means that the nation will know that salvation comes not from peace negotiations nor help from her ‘lovers’ (Jer 30:14) who would eventually forsake her but help comes from YHWH out of mount Zion (Joel 2:32). How is God glorified? ‘Herein is my Father glorified, that ye bear much fruit; so shall ye be my disciples’ (John 15:8). Fruit not from self effort and the Israel of today is strong and self confident in the face of their enemies, for only the poor in spirit will inherit the Kingdom of God (Matt 5:3)

The lists of things to pray for Jerusalem is by no means exhaustive, but pray as the Lord through His spirit lead us. Bring into remembrance of His covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, not forgetting His promise to David (Psa 132:11).

How long should be pray? ‘And give him no rest, till he establish, and till he make Jerusalem a praise in the earth’ (Isa 62:7) for we the gentile church together with the remnant of Israel who are represented by the seven thousand who have not bowed their knees to baal (Rom 11:4,5) will be included together in the New Jerusalem (Rev 21:2)